|title=United States, Index to Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers in the War with Spain, 1898

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|title=United States, Index to Service Records, War with Spain, 1898

|location=United States

|location=United States

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== Collection Time Period ==

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This index covers records for 1898.

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== Record Description ==

== Record Description ==

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This is an index to the compiled military service records of volunteer soldiers who served during the War with Spain. The service files are located in the National Archives and have not been filmed with the exception of Florida. The index is in alphabetical order.

This is an index to the compiled military service records of volunteer soldiers who served during the War with Spain. The service files are located in the National Archives and have not been filmed with the exception of Florida. The index is in alphabetical order.

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=== Record Content ===

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This index covers records for 1898.&nbsp;

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A typical record gives the following information:

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Interest in the Spanish-American War is increasing. The number of participants was small compared to the number who served in the Civil War&nbsp;and World War II. The smaller numbers are in part due to the short length of the Spanish-American War, which ended before many soldiers had even been transported to the war zone. But for the many Americans whose families came to the United States during the mass immigrations of the 1880s and 1890s, the Spanish-American War records are the first military records they can research.

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[[Image:United States,Index to Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers in the War with Spain DGS 5077639 2266.jpg|thumb|right]]

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Pension records were carefully compiled on grounds of injury, illness, or disability (and later on age) and often included:&nbsp;&nbsp;

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*Application forms

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*Branch of service

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*Rank

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*Military organization

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*Proof of marriage

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*Proof of children's births

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*Summary of military service

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*Death certificates

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Service records document an individual’s involvement with the military and can be used for proving military service, or as a valuable tool in genealogical research.

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Records from the Spanish-American War are generally much more descriptive, complete, and accurate than those from earlier wars. Name spelling became more uniform and literacy more common. These improvements make it easier to locate birth dates, family members, and other important genealogical information.

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For a list of records by surnames currently published in this collection, select the [https://familysearch.org/search/image/index#uri=https%3A//api.familysearch.org/records/collection/1919583/waypoints Browse].

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=== Citation for This Collection ===

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The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

[[United States, Index to Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers in the War with Spain (FamilySearch Historical Records)#Citation_Example_for_a_Record_Found_in_This_Collection|Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.]]

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== Record Content ==

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Key genealogical facts found in this collection may include:

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[[Image:United States,Index to Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers in the War with Spain DGS 5077639 2266.jpg|thumb|right|United States,Index to Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers in the War with Spain DGS 5077639 2266.jpg]]

*Soldier's name

*Soldier's name

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*Rank

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*Rank and military unit

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*Military unit

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*Date of entry into service

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*Dates of entry into the service

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*Separation by discharge, desertion, or death

*Separation by discharge, desertion, or death

*Film number

*Film number

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== How to Use the Record ==

== How to Use the Record ==

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To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links:<br>⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page<br>⇒Select the "Surname Range" category which takes you to the images<br>

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Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Use this index to help you learn more about your ancestors, whether war achievements or previously unknown biological information. To search for your ancestors in the index, you will need to know their full names.

Use this index to help you learn more about your ancestors, whether war achievements or previously unknown biological information. To search for your ancestors in the index, you will need to know their full names.

Line 57:

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*Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been seeking the pension.

*Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been seeking the pension.

*When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

*When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

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== Record History ==

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Interest in the Spanish-American War is increasing. The number of participants was small compared to the number who served in the Civil War&nbsp;and World War II. The smaller numbers are in part due to the short length of the Spanish-American War, which ended before many soldiers had even been transported to the war zone. But for the many Americans whose families came to the United States during the mass immigrations of the 1880s and 1890s, the Spanish-American War records are the first military records they can research.

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Pension records were carefully compiled on grounds of injury, illness, or disability (and later on age) and often included:&nbsp;&nbsp;

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*Application forms

−

*Branch of service

−

*Rank

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*Military organization

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*Proof of marriage

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*Proof of children's births

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*Summary of military service

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*Death certificates

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=== Why the Record Was Created ===

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Service records document an individual’s involvement with the military and can be used for proving military service, or as a valuable tool in genealogical research.

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=== Record Reliability ===

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Records from the Spanish-American War are generally much more descriptive, complete, and accurate than those from earlier wars. Name spelling became more uniform and literacy more common. These improvements make it easier to locate birth dates, family members, and other important genealogical information.

The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

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<!--bibdescbegin-->United States. Index to Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers in the War with Spain, 1898. NARA publication M871. Federal Archives and Records Center. Washington D.C. <!--bibdescend-->

Record Description

This is an index to the compiled military service records of volunteer soldiers who served during the War with Spain. The service files are located in the National Archives and have not been filmed with the exception of Florida. The index is in alphabetical order.

This index covers records for 1898.

Interest in the Spanish-American War is increasing. The number of participants was small compared to the number who served in the Civil War and World War II. The smaller numbers are in part due to the short length of the Spanish-American War, which ended before many soldiers had even been transported to the war zone. But for the many Americans whose families came to the United States during the mass immigrations of the 1880s and 1890s, the Spanish-American War records are the first military records they can research.

Pension records were carefully compiled on grounds of injury, illness, or disability (and later on age) and often included:

Application forms

Branch of service

Rank

Military organization

Proof of marriage

Proof of children's births

Summary of military service

Death certificates

Service records document an individual’s involvement with the military and can be used for proving military service, or as a valuable tool in genealogical research.

Records from the Spanish-American War are generally much more descriptive, complete, and accurate than those from earlier wars. Name spelling became more uniform and literacy more common. These improvements make it easier to locate birth dates, family members, and other important genealogical information.

For a list of records by surnames currently published in this collection, select the Browse.

Citation for This Collection

The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Record Content

United States,Index to Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers in the War with Spain DGS 5077639 2266.jpg

Soldier's name

Rank and military unit

Date of entry into service

Separation by discharge, desertion, or death

Film number

Digital image numbers

Surname range

Service Records may also state:

Age

Place of birth

Residence at time of enlistment

Entries that refer to miscellaneous personal papers have no corresponding compiled service records. The papers themselves follow the jacket envelopes for most units. See the Family History Library Catalog for complete information on film numbers.

How to Use the Record

To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links:⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page⇒Select the "Surname Range" category which takes you to the images

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Use this index to help you learn more about your ancestors, whether war achievements or previously unknown biological information. To search for your ancestors in the index, you will need to know their full names.

If you are having difficulty finding your ancestor, look for variations in the spelling of the name. If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names. Remember that these indexes may contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

Compare the information in the record to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family; it will often lead you to other records.

For example:

Death dates may lead to death certificates, mortuary, or cemetery records.

Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date.

Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records.

You may also find these search tips helpful:

Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.

Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been seeking the pension.

When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

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